Does this need to be refigerated?

    • Gold Top Dog

    Does this need to be refigerated?

    I got this recipe from a post by Amstaffy over at the recipe forum.  Does the finished treat need to be refrigerated?  I am going to make them for Christmas gifts for Buddy's friends.

    The Infamous Liver Treats (as I remember it, others have variatiosn)

    1 lb of liver (beef or chicken, chicken stinks less I'm told)
    2-3 cloves of garlic
    2 cups of flour or oatmeal (or combo)

    blend liver and garlic 'til liquidy, mix with flour, spread on cookie sheet about 1/8" thick, bake at 350 'til dry - I like to make them brownie consistency. Glenda makes them crispy. the longer you bake, the crispier they get. Cut into pieces. I use scissors. Glenda uses a pizza roller.

    Anything Treats (modified from mudpuppy's meatball recipe)
    1 lb ground meat (turkey, beef, chicken, tec.)
    1 cup wet stuff (pumpkin, shredded veggies, tuna, cheese, etc.)
    1 packet unflavored gelatin or a couple eggs

    Mix all together (sometimes I even just leave the shell for easiness sake!), bake as above
    • Gold Top Dog
    In my opinion, anything with real meat (or dairy) and no preservatives, needs to be refrigerated.  When I've made treats like this, I usually freeze some and refrigerate the rest.  Even in the frig, I think they could go bad if not used within several days.  
    • Gold Top Dog
    Absolutely . . . . they contain proteins without preservatives.
    • Gold Top Dog
    No garlic. It does more harm then good! For liver treats I save myself extra work by cutting up the liver and popping it in the oven. The rest of the ingredients aren't healthy.

    Yes, they last about a week, week and a half.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Absolutely!  I make enough to freeze, but only keep about a 5-8 day supply in the fridge.  I follow the recipe, but have reduced the garlic to 1 clove because 2 cloves was too much for them.  They didn't seem to like the first batch of treats, but when I reduced the garlic, they LOVE them!
    • Gold Top Dog
    Yes those treats need to be refrigated. With the liver treats I freeze them and they last even longer.
    • Gold Top Dog
    I've never made these, but I'd have to agree with Cathy and everyone else ... if  they contain real meat and no preservatives, they need to be kept frozen.  Just take out and refrigerate whatever you need for a day.
     
    Joyce
    • Gold Top Dog
    Thanks everyone!  I figured as much, but wanted to make sure as I have to give instructions to the gift receipients.  :)
     
    Sue
    • Gold Top Dog
    ORIGINAL: belgmal_girl

    No garlic. It does more harm then good! For liver treats I save myself extra work by cutting up the liver and popping it in the oven. The rest of the ingredients aren't healthy.

    Yes, they last about a week, week and a half.



    Would you mind explaining why the rest of the ingredients are not healthy?
    • Gold Top Dog
    I've read in many places lately that garlic is not good for dogs. I think it's nonsense. Garlic has a huge number of good qualities. If garlic were bad for dogs my dogs (for the last 20 years) would be dead. We used to use a mixture of garlic and brewers yeast to prevent fleas. It included a LOT of garlic.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Bunni! I always love to see when you're back.
     
     
    While on this topic... what about the supereasy dog treats made with wet dog food and flour (that's the only ingredients).  Do they need to be refridgerated?  I am making them this week!
    • Gold Top Dog
    Stacy, I'm just guessing here, but I'd guess yes on the refrigeration.  Wet dog food would be canned food and if I'm not mistaken, isn't that supposed to be refrigerated once the can is open?
     
    Joyce
    • Gold Top Dog
    How much flour do you add?  Is it enough to make a certain consistency?  And what is that consistency?
     
    Sue
    • Gold Top Dog
    isn't that supposed to be refrigerated once the can is open?

     
    Yep, canned dog food needs to be refrigerated once it's opened, so I would safely assume that any treat made using it would too.  Even if there are exceptions to the rule on any of these foods, I would always err on the cautious side and keep it frozen or refrigerated, except for short periods.  When I make the homemade treats, I will carry them places I take the dogs, but it's usually only for a few hours.
     
    How much flour do you add?  Is it enough to make a certain consistency?  And what is that consistency?

     
    It's much like making cookies.  If you like them crunchy, use more flour (not so much that they're crumbly though).  If you like them softer or chewier, use less flour.  If it's too dry, you can just add some water.  My dogs are thrilled with homemade treats no matter how they turn out [:)].